CVE-2017-7971 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Schneider Electric's PowerSCADA Anywhere v1.0 and Citect Anywhere version 1.0 have a vulnerability allowing the use of outdated cipher suites and improper SSL certificate verification.

Understanding CVE-2017-7971

This CVE involves a flaw in Schneider Electric's PowerSCADA Anywhere v1.0 and Citect Anywhere version 1.0, impacting the security of these products.

What is CVE-2017-7971?

The vulnerability in PowerSCADA Anywhere and Citect Anywhere allows attackers to exploit outdated cipher suites and incorrect SSL certificate verification, posing a security risk.

The Impact of CVE-2017-7971

The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential compromise of sensitive information within affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-7971

This section provides detailed technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw enables the use of outdated cipher suites and incorrect verification of peer SSL Certificates in PowerSCADA Anywhere v1.0 and Citect Anywhere version 1.0.

Affected Systems and Versions

PowerSCADA Anywhere: Version 1.0 redistributed with PowerSCADA Expert v8.1 and PowerSCADA Expert v8.2
Citect Anywhere: version 1.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by leveraging the outdated cipher suites and bypassing SSL certificate verification in the affected products.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-7971 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to the latest versions of PowerSCADA Expert and Citect Anywhere to mitigate the vulnerability.
Disable outdated cipher suites and enforce strict SSL certificate validation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor for security updates and patches from Schneider Electric.
Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Schneider Electric to address the vulnerability in PowerSCADA Anywhere and Citect Anywhere.